JOHN MAHONEY, P.E.
PE No. 40177
Case No. 2015045621

Licensee was charged with a violation of Section 471.033(1)(g), Florida Statutes – negligence in the practice of engineering. Licensee signed, sealed, and dated 20 No-Rise Certifications. The No-Rise Certifications are materially deficient. The deficiencies include: the same, or an equivalent, computer model as that used to generate the floodway contained in the FIS was not utilized by Licensee. The methodology employed by Licensee utilized a calculated change in velocity head over an entire cross-section as the sole means of determining impact to flood depth. This calculation ignores items such as friction and eddy losses, variations across the cross-section, and interdependencies between cross-sections, which are accounted for in the FIS computer models. By the nature of the calculations performed, it would not matter if the obstructions being certified to were located on the outer extents of the flood way, or directly in the channel, the result would be exactly the same.

Ruling: The case was presented to the full Board upon a Settlement Stipulation. The Board imposed Administrative Costs of $4,219.15, Appearance before the Board, a Basic Engineering Professionalism and Ethics Course, and the Board’s Study Guide. Additionally, Licensee is RESTRICTED from producing No-Rise Certifications until such time that Licensee submits a request to the Board to amend the Final Order. Upon the Final Order being amended, Licensee will be subject to project review of No-Rise Certifications at six and 18 months. Final Order was issued on 8/18/17.

Violation: Section 471.033(1)(g), Florida Statutes